Controlling apparatus for ejecting guided missile and method thereof

ABSTRACT

Provided are a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching tube. More particularly, The present invention provides a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile additionally including a power supply controller which applies a signal for ejecting a guided weapon to a fuse during separating the fuse used for igniting a propulsion engine in the guided weapon and an ejection controlling method using the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a technology thereof for preventing a safety accident which may occur in an infantry medium-range guided missile.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a guided weapon is ejected in a guided weapon system by verifying that a guided missile is separated from a fuse (the guide missile is launched or an ejection motor (1-stage propulsion unit) is ignited) and generating an ignition pulse to ignite a propulsion engine (2-stage propulsion unit).

However, an algorithm to verify that the guided missile is ejected from the fuse maintains a short state by connecting with a ground when the guided missile is mounted and uses an ARM1 signal generated in an open state when the guided missile is separated. But, when an error occurs in the ground or a switch associated therewith, a mounting/demounting connector connecting the guided missile and the ground, the propulsion engine will be undesirably ignited and this may cause a dangerous situation. Further, since a safety device capable of controlling the dangerous situation is not provided in the guided missile, diversified dangerous elements exist in checking the guided missile.

As such, up to now, as most of the guided missile launching apparatuses which has been developed domestically and in western countries in a scheme to eject the guided missile from a launching pad by using thrust force generated by igniting a propulsion engine of the guided missile, the guided missile may be unintentionally ejected by an ejection controller's mistake or failures of various components of the guided missile at the time of launching the guided missile or checking the fuse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile additionally including a power supply controller which applies a signal for ejecting a guided weapon to a fuse while separating the fuse used for igniting a propulsion engine in the guided weapon and an ejection controlling method using the same.

Further, the present invention has been made in an effort to provide a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile in which an ejection controller can determine whether to eject the guided weapon by monitoring voltage data generated from a driving power supply and an ejection controlling method using the same.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects and other undescribed objects will be apparently appreciated by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching missile, the apparatus including: a power supply unit providing a first electric signal and a second electric signal; a signal guiding unit outputting a first ignition signal depending on whether to input the first electric signal outputted to the power supply unit; a mounting/demounting connection unit connecting a ground (GND) and the signal guiding unit while the guided missile is inserted into the launching tube and disconnecting the ground and the signal guiding unit from each other while the guided missile is separated from the launching tube; an ignition signal generating unit generating a second ignition signal for igniting a propulsion engine provided in the guided missile so as to provide thrust force to the guided missile by receiving the first ignition signal; a relay unit transferring the first ignition signal to the ignition signal generating unit by using the first ignition signal outputted from the signal guiding unit and the second electric signal from the power supply unit; and a power controller controlling the second electric signal provided from the power supply unit to be applied to the relay unit.

Herein, the relay unit may include: a first port into which the first ignition signal is inputted; a second port connected with the ground; and a switch connected to any one of the first port and the second port, wherein a port connected to the switch is determined depending on whether to input the second electric signal.

Herein, the power controller may include: a power supply squib signal applying unit applying the second electric signal provided from the power supply unit to the relay unit; and a check signal applying unit controlling the ignition signal generating unit to generate the second ignition signal in order to check an operation state of the ignition signal generating unit.

The ignition signal generating unit may generate the second ignition signal when a predetermined time elapses after receiving the first ignition signal.

Further, the power supply unit may include a transmitting unit that remotely transmits voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit so as for an ejection controller of the guided missile to monitor the voltage data.

Meanwhile, another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a controlling method for ejecting a guided missile for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching tube, the method including: (a) controlling a second electric signal to be outputted from a power supply unit providing a first electric signal and the second electric signal; (b) applying an ejection signal for ejecting the guided missile from the launching tube; (c) stopping input of the first electric signal supplied from the power supply unit as the guided missile is separated from the launching tube by applying the ejection signal; (d) outputting a first ignition signal as the input of the first electric signal is stopped at step (c); and (e) supplying a second ignition signal to a propulsion engine provided in the guided missile so as to provide thrust force to the guided missile by receiving the first ignition signal generated at step (d).

At step (e), the second ignition signal may be supplied to the propulsion engine by generating the second ignition signal by using the second electric signal outputted at step (a).

Herein, after step (a), (a1) generating voltage data of the second electric signal and remotely transmitting the voltage data so as for an ejection controller of the guided missile to monitor the voltage data are performed and step (b) is performed.

Further, at step (e), the second ignition signal may be supplied to the propulsion engine when a predetermined time elapses after the first ignition signal is received.

According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and an ejection control method using the same can prevent a risk to eject the guided missile due to an unwanted fuse ignition signal generated by failures of other components (a mounting/demounting connector, a switch, and the like) during checking or keeping components of each guided missile while connecting a propulsion engine of the guided missile.

Further, since an ejection controller can determine whether to eject the guided missile by monitoring voltage data generated from a driving power supply that supplies power for ejecting the guided missile, it is possible to safely use the guided missile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram for describing a process of driving a known controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided weapon;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing driving of the controlling apparatus for ejecting the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First of all, it is to be noted that in giving reference numerals to elements of each drawing, like reference numerals refer to like elements even though like elements are shown in different drawings. The components and operations of the present invention illustrated in the drawings and described with reference to the drawings are described as at least one exemplary embodiment and the spirit and the core components and operation of the present invention are not limited thereto.

Prior to a detailed description of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method thereof according to the present invention, a process of ejecting the guided weapon in the known guided weapon ejection controlling apparatus will described. The description will help broadening the understanding of the present invention.

Further, the guided weapon used in this specification means an air vehicle which is ejected from a launching tube to reach a predetermined target point, but hereinafter, it will be appreciated that the guided weapon is described as a guided missile for simplification of the description.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for describing a process of driving a known controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided weapon.

As shown in FIG. 1, the known guided weapon ejection controlling apparatus 10 includes a mounting/demounting connection unit 11, a thermal battery 12, an optocoupler 13, a fuse 14, and a propulsion engine 15.

The mounting/demounting connection unit 11 includes one end grounded to a ground 8 and the other end connected to the optocoupler 13 to be described below. A switch is turned on so as to connect one end and the other end to each other while the guided weapon (guided missile) is mounted on a launching tube and the switch is turned off when the guided missile is separated from the launching tube.

The mounting/demounting connection unit 11 is generally called a mounting/demounting connector and the connector will be together used as a term indicating the mounting/demounting connection unit 11 in this specification.

The thermal battery 12 is provided to generate a signal transferred to the fuse 14 by the optocoupler 13 to be described below when the guided missile is separated from the launching tube.

The optocoupler 13 is connected to the other end of the mounting/demounting connection unit 11 and receives an electric signal supplied from the thermal battery 12 to allow the electric signal to flow to the ground 8 or branches the electric signal to be used as a signal transferred to the fuse 14.

The fuse 14 is provided to ignite the propulsion engine 15 providing thrust force to the guided missile by the signal transferred from the optocoupler 13.

The process of ejecting the guided missile by using the known guided weapon ejection controlling apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the guided missile is connected with the ground 8 through the mounting/demounting connector 11. The guided missile is connected with the ground 8 through the mounting/demounting connector 11 in a normal state to maintain a short state. Therefore, since all the electric signals supplied from the thermal battery 12 flow to the ground 8, no signal is transmitted to the fuse 14 through the optocoupler 13.

Next, when the guided missile is ejected, an ejection motor initiation switch of an ejection motor is pressed in order to actuate the ejection motor (1-stage propulsion unit) 6, such that the guided missile is separated from the launching tube to disconnect the mounting/demounting connector 11. Since this state causes an opened state, no electric signal is supplied to the optocoupler 13 from the thermal battery 12. Therefore, the optocoupler 13 stops to operate, as a result, the optocoupler 13 transmits a high signal to the fuse 14. That is, the optocoupler 13 operates while the electric signal is supplied and stops when the electric signal is not supplied. Therefore, the optocoupler 13 has an inverting function to transmit a low signal to the fuse 14 while being in operation and transmit the high signal to the fuse 14 while being in stoppage.

A first ignition signal used in this specification as the high signal transmitted to the fuse 14 will be designated as an ARM1 signal in the following description. The ARM1 signal is transferred to the fuse 14 through a cable in the guided missile. When the fuse 14 receives the ARM1 signal, it generates an ignition pulse for igniting a propulsion engine after approximately 350 ms to initiate a propulsion engine (2-stage propulsion unit) 15.

As described above, when the known guided weapon ejecting controlling apparatus 10 supplies power by using an external power supply in order to check the guided missile inserted into the launching tube, if an error occurs in the mounting/demounting connector 11 to be disconnected from the ground 8, the guided missile is ejected as it is.

Therefore, hereinafter, a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method thereof according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the guided missile ejection controlling apparatus 20 includes a mounting/demounting connection unit 21, a power supply unit 22, a signal guiding unit 23, an ignition signal generating unit 24, a power controller 26, and a relay unit 50.

Since the mounting/demounting connection unit 21, the signal guiding unit 23, and the ignition signal generating unit 24 correspond to the mounting/demounting connection unit 11, the optocoupler 13, and the fuse 14 described in the known ejection controlling apparatus 10, respectively, a duplicated description will be omitted.

The power supply unit 22 is configured to provide a first electric signal and a second electric signal. The first electric signal is transmitted to the signal guiding unit 23 and the second electric signal is provided to the ignition signal generating unit 24 by a control command of the power controller 26 to be described later.

Since the first electric signal and the second electric signal used in the specification as general voltage signals have different voltages, they are separately designated as the first and second electric signals.

When the guided missile is mounted on the launching tube, the first electric signal is applied to the signal guiding unit 23 from the power supply unit 22 and when the guided missile is separated and ejected from the launching tube, the first electric signal is not supplied, as a result, a first ignition signal (high signal) is generated. Herein, be careful that the high signal which the signal guiding unit 23 transmits to the ignition signal generating unit 24 is designated as the ARM1.

The relay unit 50 receives the ARM1 signal and transfers it to the ignition signal generating unit 24. The signal guiding unit 23 and the ignition signal generating unit 24 according to the exemplary embodiment are electrically separated from each other in general and more particularly, the reason is that the relay unit 50 has an electrically switchable structure. That is, the relay unit 50 is switched on/off so as to transfer the ARM1 signal to the ignition signal generating unit 24 depending on whether or not the power controller 26 controls applying the second electric signal. The more detailed description thereof is described later.

The power controller 26 controls transferring the ARM1 signal outputted from the signal guiding unit 23 to the ignition signal generating unit 24 by controlling the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit 22. That is, the power controller 26 allows the second electric signal supplied from the power supply unit 22 to flow on the relay unit 50 between the signal guiding unit 23 and the ignition signal generating unit 24. When the second electric signal is applied to the relay unit 50, the relay unit 50 is switched to transfer the ARM1 signal to the ignition signal generating unit 24. Therefore, the ARM1 signal outputted from the signal guiding unit 23 may be transmitted to the ignition signal generating unit 24.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, another exemplary embodiment includes a mounting/demounting connection unit, a power supply unit 22, a signal guiding unit 23, an ignition signal generating unit 24, a power controller 26, a transmitting unit 27, a power supply squib signal applying unit 28, and a check signal applying unit 29.

Since the mounting/demounting connection unit 21, the power supply unit 22, the signal guiding unit 23, the ignition signal generating unit 24, and the power controller 26 have been described above, they will not be described below.

The power supply squib signal applying unit 28 controls the power supply unit 22 to output the second electric signal and as described above, allows the first ignition signal (ARM1 signal) generated by the signal guiding unit 23 to transfer the ignition signal generating unit 24 by using the second electric signal.

The check signal applying unit 29 supplies electric energy for checking an operation state of the ignition signal generating unit 24. It can be verified whether the second ignition signal is generated from the ignition signal generating unit 24 by using electric energy.

Herein, the electric signal uses voltage different from the first electric signal and the second electric signal outputted from the thermal battery 30. For example, the first electric signal may be configured by 5V, the second electric signal is configured by 12V, and the electric energy applied through the check signal applying unit 29 may be configured by 15V. This is determined to voltage required for the fuse 24 to generate the second ignition signal (ARM2 signal) and when the fuse 24 may be operated by the second electric signal, the second electric signal outputted from the thermal battery may be used as it is.

In the check signal applying unit 29, a final movement path of the second electric signal by the power supply squib signal applying unit 28 is the ground GND, while the electric energy applied from the check signal applying unit 29 is directly connected to the ignition signal generating unit 24.

The transmitting unit 27 transmits voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit 22 by the power supply squib signal applying unit 28 to an ejection controller to allow the ejection controller to monitor the voltage data. Therefore, the ejection controller may determine an operation of the ejection motor that ejects the guided missile depending on whether the voltage data of the second electric signal is within a normal range.

Hereinafter, a process of driving a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing driving of the controlling apparatus for ejecting the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the guided missile ejection controlling apparatus implemented according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting/demounting connection unit 21, an optocoupler 23, a fuse 24, a power controller 26, a remote transmitting unit 27, a power supply squib signal applying unit (see reference numeral 28 of FIG. 3), a check signal applying unit (see reference numeral 29 of FIG. 3), and a relay unit 50.

First, the ejection process of the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment will be described.

When a power supply squib signal is applied from the power supply squib applying unit 28, the second electric signal is outputted from the thermal battery 30. The outputted second electric signal is supplied to the relay unit 50 positioned between the optocoupler 23 and the fuse 24.

The relay unit 50 includes a first port 51 applied with an ARM1 signal, a second port 52 connected with a ground 41, an on/off switch 53, and a coil 43 applied with the second electric signal. When the second electric signal is supplied to the relay unit 50 in order to eject the guided missile, an electromagnetic effect is generated by the coil 43. Therefore, as described above, in general, the switch which is connected to the second port 52 to be in an off state is separated from the second port 52 by the coil 43 to access the first port 51. Hereinafter, the off state that interrupts transmission of the ARM1 signal to the fuse 24 is cancelled to be switched to an on state so as to transfer the ARM1 signal to the fuse 24 through the optocoupler 23.

Herein, since the ARM1 signal is not still transmitted from the optocoupler 23, the ARM1 signal is not transferred to the fuse 24.

In this case, the voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the thermal battery 30 is transmitted to the ejection controller by the remote transmitting unit 27. The ejection controller monitors the voltage data to initiate the ejection motor 6 that ejects the guided missile when the ejection controller is provided outside of the guided missile having no error in the voltage data. When the ejection motor 6 is initiated, the guided missile is separated from the launching tube, as a result, the ground 8 and the optocoupler 23 are disconnected from the mounting/demounting connection unit 21.

Hereinafter, the first electric signal of 5V outputted from the thermal battery 30 which flows out to the ground 8 connected to the optocoupler 23 is not supplied to the optocoupler 23 as the mounting/demounting connection unit 21 is disconnected from the ground 8.

As described above, the optocoupler 23 outputs the high signal (ARM1 signal) to the fuse 24 when the first electric signal is not supplied from the thermal battery 30.

As described above, the fuse 24 and the optocoupler 23 are electrified by the second electric signal to transfer the ARM1 signal to the fuse 24.

The fuse 24 is operated by the ARM1 signal and after approximately 350 ms, an ARM2 signal for igniting the propulsion engine 25 is outputted. The fuse 24 outputs the ARM2 signal after approximately 350 ms. However, the ARM2 signal may be outputted after a predetermined time elapses by diversifying the length of a time until the fuse 24 outputs the ARM2 signal after receiving the ARM1 signal the ARM1 signal.

Next, a checking process of the fuse of the guided missile will be described.

The check signal generating unit 29 provided in the power controller 26 outputs a third electric signal from the thermal battery 30 and supplies the corresponding signal to the fuse 14. The third electric signal uses voltage of an appropriate intensity to drive the fuse. The fuse 24 generates the ARM2 signal by using the third electric signal. As such, when the fuse is checked according to the present invention, the optocoupler 23 is prevented from outputting the ARM1 signal due to a malfunction of the mounting/demounting connector 21 or failures of other components of the guided missile, as a result, the guided missile is not ejected.

Hereinafter, an ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment and another exemplary embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to the exemplary embodiment includes checking a state of the guided missile (S10), applying a power supply squib signal (S20), applying an ejection signal to the guided missile by using an ejection motor (S30), generating an ARM1 signal (S40), generating an ARM2 signal (S50), and igniting a propulsion engine (S60).

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 6, the ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment includes checking a state of the guided missile by applying external power (S10), judging whether the guided missile is erroneous (S15); applying a power supply squib signal (S20), remotely transmitting voltage data outputted from a thermal battery to an ejection controller (S25), monitoring whether or not output voltage is erroneous by receiving the voltage data (S27), applying an ejection signal to the guided missile by using an ejection motor (S30), generating an ARM1 signal (S40), generating an ARM2 signal (S50), and igniting a propulsion engine (S60).

Since the description of the ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to the exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be easily grasped on the basis of the description of the ejection controlling apparatus of the guided missile, an additional description thereof will be omitted for simplification in describing the specification.

As described above, the exemplary embodiments have been described and illustrated in the drawings and the specification. Herein, specific terms have been used, but are just used for the purpose of describing the present invention and are not used for defining the meaning or limiting the scope of the present invention, which is disclosed in the appended claims. Therefore, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that various modifications are made and other equivalent embodiments are available.

Accordingly, the actual technical protection scope of the present invention must be determined by the spirit of the appended claims. 

1. A controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching tube, the apparatus comprising: a power supply unit providing a first electric signal and a second electric signal; a signal guiding unit outputting a first ignition signal depending on whether to input the first electric signal outputted to the power supply unit; a mounting/demounting connection unit connecting a ground (GND) and the signal guiding unit while the guided missile is inserted into the launching tube and disconnecting the ground and the signal guiding unit from each other while the guided missile is separated from the launching tube; an ignition signal generating unit generating a second ignition signal for igniting a propulsion engine provided in the guided missile so as to provide thrust force to the guided missile by receiving the first ignition signal; a relay unit transferring the first ignition signal to the ignition signal generating unit by using the first ignition signal outputted from the signal guiding unit and the second electric signal from the power supply unit; and a power controller controlling the second electric signal provided from the power supply unit to be applied to the relay unit.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the relay unit includes: a first port into which the first ignition signal is inputted; a second port connected with the ground; and a switch connected to any one of the first port and the second port, wherein a port connected to the switch is determined depending on whether to input the second electric signal.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power controller includes: a power supply squib signal applying unit applying the second electric signal provided from the power supply unit to the relay unit; and a check signal applying unit controlling the ignition signal generating unit to generate the second ignition signal in order to check an operation state of the ignition signal generating unit.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ignition signal generating unit generates the second ignition signal when a predetermined time elapses after receiving the first ignition signal.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit includes a transmitting unit that remotely transmits voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit so as for an ejection controller of the guided missile to monitor the voltage data.
 6. A controlling method for ejecting a guided missile for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching tube, the method comprising: (a) controlling a second electric signal to be outputted from a power supply unit providing a first electric signal and the second electric signal; (b) applying an ejection signal for ejecting the guided missile from the launching tube; (c) stopping input of the first electric signal supplied from the power supply unit as the guided missile is separated from the launching tube by applying the ejection signal; (d) outputting a first ignition signal as the input of the first electric signal is stopped at step (c); and (e) supplying a second ignition signal to a propulsion engine provided in the guided missile so as to provide thrust force to the guided missile by receiving the first ignition signal generated at step (d).
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein at step (e), the second ignition signal is supplied to the propulsion engine by generating the second ignition signal by using the second electric signal outputted at step (a).
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein after step (a), (a1) generating voltage data of the second electric signal and remotely transmitting the voltage data so as for an ejection controller of the guided missile to monitor the voltage data are performed and step (b) is performed.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein at step (e), the second ignition signal is supplied to the propulsion engine when a predetermined time elapses after the first ignition signal is received. 